Insider Blog: Cooper County to have more radar access through partnership

A low power radar was installed in Boonville today, allowing the city and Cooper County access to weather information in the lower levels of the atmosphere in the surrounding area.

The radar is owned and operated by Climavision, a company based out of Louisville, Kentucky focused on filling radar gaps between the high powered national dual polarization doppler radars. Climavision funds and maintains the radars for local entities.

Vice President of Strategic Planning Tara Goode told ABC 17 News that "the ultimate goal is to get this into the hands of public safety leaders, so think folks like emergency management, public safety agencies, federal partners such as the National Weather Service, people who would warn any population center."

Goode said the radars are part of a research project the company is involved in with the National Severe Storms Laboratory who will use the data to assess areas that aren't in within the lower ranges of NWS radars. These smaller, low powered systems have a range of 60 miles and can last up to 15 years if properly maintained. The hope is that the more localized radar data will help Cooper County Emergency Management officials plan ahead for resources or even help out insurance or agricultural entities before and after inclement weather.

ABC 17 News also reached out to the National Weather Service in Kansas City to confirm their knowledge of the project. A meteorologist said, "as of now, the NWS is in a research phase, exploring the usefulness of these radars. Boonville is no part of this study so we will not have access to it for the time being."

A representative for Climavision told ABC 17 News on Wednesday "the company has 27 systems online with a goal of installing nearly 200."

The radars that are currently a part of the study are not yet being used in warning decisions.